Monday, Nov. 29, 2004

native american arts daily news, presented by
amerindianarts.us

Manning House Show features Jade and Native American artists
JCK - King of Prussia,PA,USA
... annual Manning House Show will represent a selection of gem and jewelry arts, sculpture, glass, painting, and photography as well as fine American Indian art ...

Praise the turkey, a noble bird
Redlands Daily Facts - Redlands,CA,USA
... geography (England, Plymouth Rock and the Colonies), Native American culture, agriculture (using a fish to fertilize corn), culinary arts (turkey and all the ...

CROSS-CULTURAL DANCE
Great Falls Tribune - Great Falls,MT,USA
... Daystar, pioneered merging traditional Native American dancing with ... dance company with all Native performers. ... Endowment for the Arts Choreographer's Fellowship ...

Trading post offers unique Ohio souvenirs
Toledo Blade - Toledo,OH,USA
... on Saturdays to sell unique souvenirs from early Ohio and Native American tribes that ... a limited basis for four years, but organizers from the Arts Council Lake ...

New galleries open in Escondido
North County Times - Escondido,CA,USA
... The Robert Wright Gallery includes plein-air, seascape and Native American artists. ... And it seems that Escondido's arts reputation has extended beyond the county ...

Lander professors turning eggs into art
Greenwood Index Journal - Greenwood,SC,USA
... art education majors, five candidates for masters of arts in teaching ... world, including Russian, Turkish, Asian, Indian, Mexican, Native American, African and ...

Maori artist blends cultures
Salt Lake Tribune - Salt Lake City,UT,USA
... artist at the Annual Holiday Indian Arts Market at ... One was American Indian studies, which he first explored in ... the history of the country's native people "it ...

 This once a day Google Alert is brought to you by Google.

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CASTING CALL for NATIVE AMERICANS
For background extras and featured extras
CASTING CALL FOR TNT/DREAMWORKS "INTO THE WEST" STARRING MICHAEL SPEARS, GRAHAM GREENE, RUSSELL MEANS, IRENE BEDARD, DAVE BALDEAGLE
a 3 movie series filming outside Santa Fe from Jan 10-Feb 20; and elsewhere in NM from March-May this series follows 2 multi- generational American and Native American families, IN THE LATE 1800's, with each telling the dramatic stories of the development of the West from their distinct points of view.
CASTING IN ALBUQUERQUE
SUN DEC 5 10:30 am - 4:00 pm
SHERATON OLD TOWN
800 Rio Grande Blvd. NW Potters Room
CASTING IN SANTA FE
SAT DEC 11 10:30 am- 4:00 pm
RADISSON 750 N. St. Francis Dr.
WE NEED THE FOLLOWING:
MALE BAREBACK RIDERS - age 18-50
Female Horseback Riders - all ages
Male Horseback Riders - all ages
Men & Women - all ages
Families - ALL AGES infant to 80's
Men & Women Elders
(**LONG HAIR IS PREFERED for all)
NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY/ PHOTOS WELCOME
PLEASE LOOK FOR OUR ADS & RADIO FOR LATER CASTING
If anyone has questions, please call or email me directly at tasinabanks@mindspring.com / 505-280-3989.
Please spread the word to your friends and families who might be interested in being in a movie. We are seeking Anglos, Irish- Americans, African-Americans and Chinese people as well.
Thank you.
-- Tashina Banks Moore
505-280-3989
tasinabanks@mindspring.com

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Navajo artist Teddy Draper Workshops
Chinle, Arizona (Canyon DeChelly)- Seminars and workshops have limited capacity and usually require enrollment months in advance.

Workshop information for 2005

March 15-19, instructor Elmer Yazzie, "cut yucca brush" watercolor technique.

May 16-20, instructor Teddy Draper, Jr., pastel techniques, insights into art, culture, and connecting to nature.

June 7-11, Indian Jewelry Basics (class limited to 4 students).

June 7-11, instructor Teddy Draper, Jr., pastel techniques, insights into art, culture, and connecting to nature.

Contact Teddy Draper at
dechelly2000@yahoo.com

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Web Sites:
Indigenous Peoples Literature


Literacy in Indigenous Communities by L. David van Broekhuizen, Ph.D. (2000)
HTML Format (70K)
PDF Format(117K)
Literacy in first languages in indigenous communities is a complex topic that generates lively discussion. This research synthesis explores the notions of national, mother-tongue, multiple, and biliteracies. It presents important information pertaining to threatened languages, language shift, and language loss. Examples of culturally relevant uses of literacy in indigenous communities and issues related to first-language literacy instruction are also provided.

Essay on the Zuni World View
Excerpt (Complete article is available in PDF)

The duties of the Bow Society, and latter the Tribal Council, was enforcement as a secular institution despite religious evaluations.  It would not do to punish or fend witchcraft through religious rite and ceremony, for to do so the canonical rite would paradoxically expose itself to the dangerous simply by reference to it, and would be akin to ‘fighting fire with fire’, a very undesirable prospect to the Zuni.  Thus, attanni is negated by observance ( teshkwi) and violations are reflections upon the individual, and dealt with by secular enforcement, which collectively, may include gossip, criticism, and public ridicule [111].

The underlying dialectic of the beautiful and the dangerous is evident in distinct dialogues, even in the absence of aesthetic expression, for attanni is proper to secular dialogue and is pertinent to religious dialogue only in the sense of observance where ‘if you have been living rightly, then attanni is not an issue’ ( Ko’na to’ tewanan ateyaye ).  Non-verbal expression is not meaningless nor is a deviant utterance meaningless where the objective is the immersion of the subject into the social structure in order to eliminate causes of behavior conducive to the anti-structure of a social hierarchy where the collective consciousness of the people is to “pray to become one” [112].

[111] Op. cit. Dutton, 1983: 13.

[112] Eggan, Fred and T.N. Pandey.  “Zuni History, 1855-1970”.  Handbook of North American Indians, Southwest.  Vol.9.  Ed. By Alfonso Ortiz.  Pp. 474-481.  Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1979.

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Notices:

"Honor Your Spirit, Protect The Children"
Winter & Christmas 2004 - Request for Donations
http://www.geocities.com/honoryourspirit/home.html

If you wish to make a difference and help children and elders through the harsh winter months in Montana, please take the time to read our request. On behalf of reliable Northern Cheyenne contacts from Lame Deer, we are once again collecting donations for those in need on the Northern Cheyenne reservation.
There is a large need especially for new and good quality used warm items, as well as toys.
List of useful donations :
- warm clothing such as knitted items for children of all ages from babies to teenagers, and for elders - jeans and T-shirts, all sizes - socks, gloves, boots, hats and scarves - blankets - toys for Christmas
Donations should be sent to the following address:
Honor Your Spirit - Protect the Children
% Sue Buck
PO Box 901
Great Falls, MT 59403-0901 (USA)
Please contact suemontana@mcn.net for mailing information other than regular US Mail service. (Also please include your name and address if you would like for us to acknowledge/confirm receipt of your donations.)
The toys will be distributed during the Christmas give away but the warm clothes and blankets will be distributed right away. During Montana winters, the temperature can drop to 30 or 40 degrees below zero so warm winter clothing and blankets can be lifesaving.
Our goal is to help the children, the elders, the single parent families, or families unable to make ends meet due to the high unemployment rate, the difficult conditions and the extreme poverty on the reservation.The children need all the help and encouragement they can get!
Other items that would also be appreciated: grooming supplies like toothpaste, tooth brushes,soaps and shampoos, combs, hair brushes, hair barrettes, rubber bands or other types of hair or pony tail holders. Last but not least : pampers diapers or pull-ups.
Thank you for being a part of this project and supporting it."
Respectfully,
Manuel Redwoman,
Northern Cheyenne/Lakota/Arapaho
Our heartfelt thanks to everyone for your support !

Haidu Language Project
Did you know that before Christopher Columbus arrived in the new world, the "Indians" in North America spoke over 300 indigenous languages? Today, roughly 20 of these languages have speakers of all ages. Unfortunately, the Haida language of Kasaan, Alaska is not among them.
Currently, only seven Kasaan Haidas speak the Kasaan Haida dialect with varying degrees of fluency--all elders over the age of 75. I know this because my dad grew up in Kasaan, 25 miles from my birthplace of Ketchikan, Alaska. We belong to the Haida tribe. This summer, I urged the Kasaan Haida Heritage Foundation (KHHF) to allow me to utilize the foundation's nonprofit status to seek funding and conduct projects that preserve our elders' knowledge.
In September, we created the position of Media Specialist in which I intend to raise money and interview our elders, especially in regards to the Haida language. I will produce, direct, and coordinate a video documentary to raise awareness and archive the language. I plan to make the results available in digital formats on the KHHF website.
If given the chance, I believe people would rally to this cause. We need to get the word out. So, I call on friends like you to get the ball rolling and join "The Grassroots Founders Campaign" Grassroots because the idea is to reach out to many individuals on a personal level; Founders because you will underwrite the beginning of our preservation effort.
Donations received from now until December 31, 2004 will earn the donor a Grassroots Founder designation. I ask for a relatively small gift of 25 to 100 dollars. Donor's names will appear in the KHHF newsletter and donations will be eligible for a tax deduction for this year. Grassroots Founders get special on-screen mention in the documentary.
Please send checks (payable to "KHHF") to:
Kasaan Haida Heritage Foundation
600 University Street, Suite 3010
Seattle, WA 98101-1129
Write in the memo area on your check or include a note designating funds for "Media Specialist/Projects".
Very importantly, SPREAD THE WORD. Please pass this on to 5 to 10 friends, or more. You will multiply your donation exponentially and play a vital role in preserving the Haida language for future generations. We appreciate anything you can do to help us preserve our language and heritage.
Sincerely,
Frederick Olsen, Jr.
For more information, email me or go to
http://kavilco.com/pages/
aboutkhhf.html
KHHF is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 92-0169568).

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Blood Clot - Ute
Unlike the tale of Rabbit Boy coming from a blood clot, here the baby is born from a clot of buffalo blood and derives his power from the mighty buffalo tribe. Long ago a very old man and his wife lived alone and hunted for game, but it was scarce and they were hungry. One day the man discovered some buffalo tracks and followed them to the place where the animal had stopped. There he found only a big clot of blood, which he wrapped in his shirt and carried home. The old man told his wife to boil the blood, and she put it into the kettle with water from the creek. But before it came to a boil over the fire, they heard cries inside the kettle. The man ran up to it and pulled out a baby, a little boy, who had somehow formed out of the blood clot. The old couple washed the baby and wrapped him up. By the next morning he had grown much larger, and that day he continued to grow until he could crawl about by himself. The second day he was able to walk a little; by the third day he was walking with ease. The couple called him Blood Clot and came to treat him as their son. The old man made little arrows so that the child could learn to shoot. Soon Blood Clot needed much larger arrows, and with them he began to hunt birds and other small game. He never brought the game home himself, but sent the old man for it. One day Blood Clot returned from hunting and said, "I have killed something with a striped back." The man went out and fetched an animal bigger than a mouse, which he cooked for the three of them. The next day the boy announced, "I have killed a white short-tailed animal." It was a cottontail, which the man also cooked. The day after that, Blood Clot went farther and killed a badger. "I have killed an animal in a hole in the ground," he said, and the man brought the creature home and cooked it. The following day when the boy returned, he said, "I have killed animal with black ears and a black tail." To the old man's joy, it was a female deer. The three of them ate and were happy. Next Blood Clot said, "I have killed a big fellow with big antlers." It was an elk, so again the family feasted on meat. The old man gave the boy a full-sized bow and arrows, and Blood Clot went into the mountains and shot a mountain goat. "I have killed an animal with big horns in the mountains," he said when he came down. "Every day," the old man said proudly, "he kills a different kind of animal." Now their troubles were over, and they had an easy time. Blood Clot killed a mountain lion. Then he tracked and shot an otter: "I have killed an animal with nice fur, living in the water." The old man tanned the skin to make strings for tying the boy's braids. The following day Blood Clot found a beaver: "I have killed a water animal with a tail of this size." At last there came a day when Blood Clot said, "I want to visit the village where many people live. Before that, I will go on my last hunt for you, all day and all night. First I want you to tie up the tent, put rocks on the edge, and fasten the door lest the night wind carry it away. Though the wind will be strong, don't go outdoors and don't be afraid. I will call when you can come out." The old couple obeyed, and he hunted all night while they were sleeping. About daybreak they heard a big noise, forerunner of a wind that threatened to tip over the tent. The man was frightened and wanted to go out, but the wife held him back, reminding him of what their son had said. When daylight came, they heard their son's voice: Come on out; I'll show you something." They unfastened the door and saw dead buffalo lying all around. "I have done this for you," Blood Clot said. "Dry the meat and hides; save the meat and it will last you for a long time." The young man asked his mother to fix him a lunch, and she gave him pemmican. "Now my parents have plenty of food," he said. As he left, they cried and asked him to return. Wearing buckskin leggings, carrying a quiver of mountain lion skin, Blood Clot began to travel. After a few days he reached the village. At the outskirts he asked for the chief's house, and a man told him, "It is in the center." There he found the chief with his wife and daughter. They invited him to sit down, and the chief asked him where he came from and what his tribe was. "I don't know what tribe I belong to. I have come to visit you," Blood Clot replied. The chief stepped outdoors and shouted to the people to come and meet their visitor. The villagers were starving for lack of game, but all gathered at the chief's house and sat down. The chief said, "Do any of you know the tribe of this young man?" People named the tribes - Deer, Elk, Otters, Beavers, and others. They asked him whether he belonged to any of these, but he thought not. At last one old man said, "I think I know from the power in him, although I may be mistaken. I think he is one of the Buffalo." Blood Clot thought about it, and finally agreed. The people of the village asked Blood Clot to stay and marry the chief's daughter. He agreed to this as well, and the wedding was held. That evening he asked his father-in-law to bring one arrow from the tipi. When the chief returned, Blood Clot told him to have all the tipi fastened and to warn the people that they should stay indoors, for there would be a great storm. The chief told the villagers, and at daybreak when they heard a big noise, they cried out in fear but did not leave their tipi. Then Blood Clot called to the chief, who came out to find dead buffalo before every lodge. At his son-in-law's bidding he summoned the whole village for a feast, and all were happy. Blood Clot stayed there until one day when a group of villagers went out to hunt buffalo. Long before this, he had told his wife, "You know the buffalo calf? I am part of that, it is part of me, so you must never say the word 'calf'." When the party killed some buffalo and were butchering, another herd came running past. His wife pointed and called, "Kill that calf!" Immediately Blood Clot jumped on his horse and galloped away, changing as he did so into a buffalo. His wife cried and attempted to catch him, but in vain. From that time on, Blood Clot ran with the buffalo.
Based on a story reported by Robert Lowie in the 1920s.

From Blue Panther Keeper of Stories